Just once, just for a change, let’s hear something positive about why Scotland would be better staying part of the United Kingdom. Because frankly, the scare stories are wearing a bit thin.

The latest is over a leaked SNP document that’s cue for a doom-laden warning about slashing pensions, cutting defence spending and shedding public sector jobs. Strip away the hysteria and what you actually have is a sensible Government prepared to make sensible decisions about spending. A Government aware they are operating in a tough economic climate where there is no bottomless pit of money.

And that’s whether you’re an independent country or part of the UK. Is there a single household in Scotland that doesn’t have similar conversations about what they can and can’t afford? It would be a shambolic Government that didn’t behave in the same responsible way.

Bear in mind, too, this document was written a year ago in different economic circumstances and that oil prices and revenues have risen. The net effect and the hard fact is that the finances of Scots are £863-a-head healthier than the rest of the UK.

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17 to “Quoted for truth #11”

A very good editorial that is in marked contrast with the broadcasting and other print media in Scotland. Also interesting that this newspaper which sells the most isn’t decending to the gutter like some other newspapers that I could mention.
It could very well be that the Sun what dun it – to open up peoples minds. A first step. I didn’t expect in a million years for me to speak up for the Sun but I shall today.

I find it rather baffling that that much of the balanced news has come from the red tops. The Sun has run a few articles over the last few months, The Daily Record today isn’t in the same boat but has published many interesting articles over the last few months also.
Compared to the supposedly quality broadsheets of the Scotsman and Herald the output from the tabloids has been much better in the context of fair news reporting. Seldom do I need to click a link for either of the broadsheets these days. They do not have interesting stories to read it would seam, it is a great shame that they alienate their old readers with their new low level of journalism that you would not expect in a million years they could have reached.
The Scotsman and Herald seem to be in a race to the bottom with each other – who will get there first is of no interest to me. They both descended to a level bereft of quality journalism of interest years ago. Their demise has been of their own making and if the men at the top wish to turn things around then I have seen no keenness to do so. Battling it out between each other should be a daft idea anyway as both have different readerships. Both are just Unionist chip wrappers. Someone should point out to them that chip shops don’t use newspaper these days.
Well done to the Sun and Wings also. Epic fail for the two broadsheets.

Dave McEwan Hill says:I am informed that BBC Scotland radio was at it full steam also this morning. It must be becoming obvious to intelligent people that all this is a co-ordinated plot
Listened to Radio Scot all day, heard Wee Willie several times, and a labour MSP just before six, (can’t remember his name), but never heard any counter to them.

I was talking to an Edinburgh ex-merchant banker who is an old friend (yes, there are some decent ones), and he simply wasn’t aware that the Scotsman was in trouble. He reads it for the financial stuff, and reckoned that the legal/financial/medical/professional readership is what it sees as its core market. If true, that partly explains its unremitting unionist stance. If it loses that core A/B readership, it’s truly sunk, as that is what advertisers look for. This of course is to assume that the A/Bs are solidly unionist. I’m not so sure. It’s fair to say that many of them have spent their careers trying to carve out a distinctive niche in the face of competition from London (and that goes for civil service & medical profession too). They are never going to flaunt their Yes badges – but in the polling station….

An ex colleague that I keep in touch with phoned me today. He is a trade union shop steward and a labour voter.
The penny had dropped and he was livid to say the least. He had seen the light regarding MSM bias.
Another Yes vote just about in the bag!

Keep thinking 30-40-30 and it’s the 40% that will bring YES to the front.

I thought Alex Salmond was as powerful as I’ve seen him at FMQ. I despair to hear Lamont, I cringe at hearing Davidson, but did AS skewer Rennie today – and rightly so – the guy is Uriah Heap personified, but with such a hellish conceit of himself it borders on a kind of lunacy. Would you have believed that Rennie could spout such rubbish – not off the hip, which could be understandable, if not excusable, but be reading it from a prepared statement?

When is the Presiding Officer going to call a halt to the disgrace that FMQ has become with the desk slapping and braying of juvenile minded MSPs happy to collect their very good pay pack for doing absolutely nothing else in opposition?

Have to agree with Barontorc on the First Minister’s performance in the chamber at FMQ’s and especially in response to wee willie winkie’s follow-up question.

What keeps me awake at night are the implications of Liberal-Tory policy in Scotland and the decline in public spending. What keeps me awake at night are the bedroom tax and the impact on social security in Scotland. What keeps me awake at night is the £1 billion that will be withdrawn from the poorest sections of the community thanks to the policies of the Tory-Liberal Administration in London. What keeps me awake at night is the thought of Trident missiles for the next 50 years in Scotland when we should be spending that money on the social and economic welfare of Scotland.

Priceless.

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